Cycles
by Epsilon4
Summary: Some years after the defeat of Necron, Gaia as a whole is joyfully at peace. Zidane and Dagger, now married, rule Alexandria together, and have a young daughter named Lucile. However, rumours of a Royal kidnapping begin to spread and an air of unease desc
1. The Storm after the Calm

Chapter One: The Storm After the Calm  
  
"How can you be calm at a time like this!?" shrieked Dagger.  
  
Dagger and Zidane had been talking, or rather bickering, in their royal chamber for hours. Dagger was, at that moment, sitting rather stiffly on the very edge of their bed, although every few minutes she stood up abruptly and started pacing about the room wildly, whilst Zidane was lazily leaning against the wall, dreamily staring out of the window.  
  
"Come on Dagger, she's always wanderin' off like this! She must take after me!" replied Zidane with a smirk. "It's not like she hasn't done this before!"  
  
"She's only two years old for goodness sake!! Oh, what can we do??" sobbed Dagger.  
  
"Don't wor." Zidane began, but was cut short by the sudden banging open of the chamber door. In stepped Beatrix, looking rather pale, clutching a crumpled parchment in her hand.  
  
"You-your Highnesses." stuttered Beatrix, as she marched up to her Queen, bowed respectfully, and held the note out to her. Suddenly Zidane, without warning, snatched the note from the sullen General and quickly glared at what was scrawled on it.  
  
Mere seconds later, he tossed the parchment aside, and abruptly stormed out of the royal chamber. Dagger started after him, but then turned to the note on the floor, already knowing, not suspecting, what it said. She slowly reached for the note, and began to read it, a lot more thoroughly than Zidane had.  
  
Dear Your Royal Highnesses, It may have come to your attention, that your beloved daughter has not been in your presence for quite some time now. I am confident that even a person of your intelligence can comprehend that the price tag on her head will be rather hefty, so I would appreciate it if you were to have eleven million Gil plus three chests of the Palace's finest treasure personally delivered to me by Queen Garnet herself to the observatory in Dali on the night of the next full moon. You would do well to be on time.  
  
Yours sincerely,  
  
Kento M. Kape, Keeper of the Keys  
  
Having read this rather bad piece of news, Dagger fainted.  
  
Hours later, Dagger finally awoke, and found herself lying comfortably in her bed, alone, save for Zidane, who was kitted out in his travelling gear, staring out of the window for the second time that day.  
  
"I'm going after her, Dagger," said Zidane outright, "I'm not willing to leave Lucile at the mercy of some third-class, treacherous bandit."  
  
"But what about the ransom? We can spare the Gil! I don't want to risk losing you too! Please don't leave me again!!" pleaded Dagger.  
  
"It goes against my nature; you should know that! She's our daughter Dagger, and I can't stand the thought of her being kept away from us for so long, at such a young age. You know you won't change my mind," stated Zidane, totally contradicting what he had said just a few hours previous.  
  
"But."  
  
"Please Dagger. Let me find her. For all we know this could be a trap! This bandit may not even have Lucile! Word of her absence has spread around the kingdom - we don't know just what we are facing. I'll go to Dali; the next full moon isn't until tomorrow night, which should be plenty of time!"  
  
"Well in that case, I'm going with you - the note even asks for me by name!" retorted Dagger.  
  
"NO, you're not. I'm afraid I can't let you do that. The people need you; you know as well as I do they have never really accepted me, a 'low class thief' as their ruler, even if I did save the world, at least once!" said Zidane as he gave a satisfied smirk, "This Kento character will just need to settle for me - you are not leaving this castle! Stay here, and before you know it I'll be back with Lucile in my arms - I promise."  
  
"Oh my.fine.go - just make sure you don't take quite so long to fulfil this promise!"  
  
"Thanks you my dear - with your blessing, I shall travel ever swifter," said Zidane, speaking far too articulately, compared to his usual self.  
  
Zidane stepped closer to Dagger's side, kissed her lovingly, and turned to leave.  
  
"Please.please come back safely." cried Dagger, as her husband pulled his cloak over his head and left the room.  
  
Moments after her husband's departure, Dagger summoned her two loyal guardians, Steiner and Beatrix, to her bedchamber.  
  
"Listen, quickly now. We must hurry. Have the ransom prepared; Take the key from my dressing table; there is a sealed cabinet in the armoury - open it; there should be more than enough inside. Take all that you need, and rush to Dali - I have a bad feeling about Zidane's plan. Do not let him see you; I would hate for him to think I don't trust him. I would hate myself even more if something were to happen to him, or Lucile," rushed Dagger.  
  
"But Your Mag." began Steiner.  
  
Glaring at Steiner, Beatrix exclaimed, "It shall be done, Your Royal Highness."  
  
With a swift bow, both knights hurriedly left the room and headed for the armoury, leaving Dagger worried, and once again alone.  
  
"Watch over them; all of them." whispered Dagger, praying to anyone who would listen. 


	2. Apart

Chapter Two - Apart  
  
"Was it really necessary to take such a rickety cart?" moaned Steiner.  
  
"We had little time; and besides, this way we shall avoid notice, and no one shall be able to tell that we are from the castle!" replied Beatrix.  
  
The cart was indeed rickety. The horse did indeed smell. Their concealing cloaks were damp and had a rather.unique odour. But nonetheless, there they were, the Captain of the Knights of Pluto and the General of Alexandria, hastily making their way along the well-worn road to Dali.  
  
"But the note specifically asked for her - aren't we putting Lady Lucile in unnecessary danger?" said Steiner.  
  
"That may be, but we must follow the Queen's orders; I'm sure she is doing what she thinks is best for her child."  
  
"I just hope everything goes to plan," continued Steiner in an uneasy tone.  
  
"Now, we must hurry; our only advantage over the King will be if we arrive at Dali before him. One of my highest ranking soldiers reported that she saw him leave on foot, so we should be far ahead of him," explained Beatrix, trying to convince herself the plan would work.  
  
"Indeed! Always the one with the good ideas - that's why I married you dear! Well, and the way you so elegantly fill your armour," replied Steiner with a wink.  
  
"What's that's supposed to mean!?" Beatrix exclaimed, lecturing her husband.  
  
"It must be his influence.I never used to be so.flirtatious!" thought Steiner.  
  
Dusk fell, and night rose over the land of Alexandria, and the town of Dali was illuminated by the sole light of the full moon. The horse-drawn cart drew away from the main village, and headed in the direction of the observatory, towards the Princess of Alexandria.  
  
"Ah.it has been so long since I was first here." Steiner mumbled to himself, remembering the mere beginnings of their long gone journey. He gave a soft sigh.  
  
"We had best hide the cart, and begin to unload the chests - it did take us quite a time to load them onto the cart at the castle," replied Beatrix, ignoring her husband's nostalgia.  
  
And so the knightly duo hid their dilapidated transportation on the outskirts of the village, and started to unload the precious cargo, and carry the hefty ransom towards the observatory. Steiner could still smell the musky scent of old Morrid's coffee as they passed the old building. After several trips, and a few breaks later, they had finished their task, and had simply to wait for the arrival of the mysterious Kento. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, a shadow emerged from behind Morrid's old house, and started walking towards Steiner and Beatrix with an air of unearthly malice.  
  
"Who are you!? Show yourself villain!" shouted Steiner with a courageous yell.  
  
"I'm assuming you're this Kento character? We have your ransom, although I do not see Princess Lucile in your possession," spoke Beatrix, much cooler and calmer than her partner had just yelled.  
  
"What exactly did you halfwits not understand by me saying Garnet herself!?" exclaimed the shadowy individual, and then, after a few moments of consideration, "I shall take pity on you imbeciles; hand over the chests, and I shall fetch Her Ladyship from the building," rasped the figure, with disgust in his voice. He turned towards the door, dragging a single chest of his bounty, and slipped within, leaving Steiner and Beatrix alone.  
  
"Heheheh, suckers," the figure chuckled to himself, safely inside the dark building.  
  
Suddenly, a voice cried out from the black void,  
  
"That's funny.I don't see my daughter in here." spoke an all too familiar voice.  
  
Fumbling, the figure reached for a candle and lit it, revealing none other than the King of Alexandria, Zidane Tribal, coolly leaning against the wall, calmly sharpening one of his dual daggers on a whetstone. He stared at the kidnapper of his only daughter with a look of both pure disgust and hatred.  
  
"Bu.wha.how.how are you here!? Why didn't you.?" stuttered Kento.  
  
"The sly eagle waits for its prey."  
  
Steiner and Beatrix, still patiently waiting outside, began to wonder just what was taking Kento quite so long.  
  
"You don't think.he doesn't really." began Steiner.  
  
"Well." started Beatrix.  
  
Suddenly, interrupting her, the door blasted open, with the kidnapper stumbling out in a mad frenzy, and much to the knights' surprise, out followed their King, Zidane.  
  
"Bu.wha.how.how are you here!? Why didn't you.?" stuttered Steiner. Beatrix just stood with complete wonder and awe of what had just happened, clearly not ready to convey her thoughts into words.  
  
Zidane, totally ignoring the Royal guardians, continued to pummel the newly revealed kidnapper, and in the pale light of the moon, his true identity became known by all.  
  
"GILGAMESH!?" shouted both Steiner and Beatrix in perfect unison, at the four-armed, ginger-haired thief. "You ruffian!!" continued Steiner, "Of all the.!"  
  
"I had a feeling it'd be you.you bandit wannabe bastard! Tell me where she is!?" shouted Zidane, as he drew his knife up against Gilgamesh's throat.  
  
"Aww.man.no.please.don't make me tell you. He'd kill me!" mumbled Gilgamesh.  
  
"Not before I kill you.!" threatened Zidane.  
  
"Please no!"  
  
"TELL ME!" Zidane yelled as he tightened his grip on the thief's neck.  
  
"OK, OK, all right! This guy, he told me to get the little baby. I thought I'd make a bundle. I found her in the palace garden, sleeping, so I just grabbed her. I'm real sorry man, I'm real sorry!" revealed Gilgamesh in a panic.  
  
"Who are you working for!? Who sent you!!?" yelled Zidane, at a deafening volume.  
  
"His name.the guy's name is C." began Gilgamesh, but was horribly cut short. Zidane saw a look of utter horror on the face of his captive as Gilgamesh looked over Zidane's shoulder. Quick as a flash, Zidane jumped back, and the four-armed Gilgamesh was petrified before his feet hit the ground.  
  
"What!? NO! Where is she!?" Zidane yelled pounding the now statued Gilgamesh, "WHERE IS SHE!?"  
  
Beatrix rushed forward, trying to use her White Magic to unpetrify him, but to no avail.  
  
"The charm is much too powerful.he is lost." wailed Beatrix.  
  
"TRY AGAIN! TRY! AGAIN!" ordered Zidane.  
  
"It's no use. He is gone."  
  
"Damn it. If only I had got here quicker!" sobbed Zidane. "I knew something would go wrong.I felt it.that's the whole reason I rushed here with Choco!"  
  
Comprehension flashed over the faces' of Beatrix and Steiner.  
  
After merely a few moments on one knee with both eyes closed, Zidane composed himself and stood upright, clenching his knife.  
  
"We must take him back.Dagger can cure him.she must be able to."  
  
Steiner, anticipating Zidane's next command, rushed to Gilgamesh's petrified body, and loaded it onto the back of the hidden cart. Beatrix, having not spoken a single word since her failure to cure the thief, began to solemnly load the now useless ransom chests back on to the cart. Zidane, completely oblivious to the surrounding activities, stood at the edge of the cliff, staring at his kingdom, and his love.  
  
"We must hurry; time is of the essence," Zidane said much too quietly for his faithful knights to hear. "We must."  
  
A mere few minutes later, they were packed up and ready to leave. Zidane took a final look inside the building, hopelessly searching one last time for Lucile, then boarded the cart just as it departed.  
  
Little had they known, that a fifth person had been present all along, silently watching the night's events. For upon the very top of the cliff stood a shape, a shape cloaked in black, and protected by the shadow of night.  
  
"The fools.how DARE they disobey my order.they are too late.things are already in motion."  
  
With a hellish shriek that sounded like a baby's cry, the shape lunged off the edge of the cliff, and dispersed as a dark shadow throughout the land. 


End file.
